Understanding Driving Avoidance Among Older African Americans And Whites With Diabetes

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases with half of the new diagnoses affecting adults aged 60 years and older. Although African Americans are more likely to develop the disease, they are also less likely to receive healthcare. Importantly, living with diabetes is likely to negatively impact mobility for aging adults as the disease is associated with lower physical functioning (e.g., ability to maintain one’s balance). Further, diabetes could pose a significant threat to a person with diabetes’ ability to drive and remain in the community. This study examines the relationships and influences of social determinants of health (e.g., race, gender, socioeconomic status) and cognition on avoiding driving maneuvers such as driving at night and in rush hour traffic among older adults with diabetes. Data from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Diabetes and Aging Study of Health (DASH) were analyzed and of the 224 participants, 193 (86.16%) were current drivers. There was a gender difference with 94.12% of males and 79.51% of females being current drivers, p < .01. Within the sample of current drivers, 45% were African American and being female, not married, lower levels of education and cognition, low income, and being African American were associated with higher scores on driving avoidance. Cognition explained 30.44% of the racial difference in driving avoidance. Findings from this study will help identify individuals who are at-risk for reduced mobility and identify those who may need to be intervened upon to support a better quality of life.

Download Full-text

Disparities Research at the Deep South Alzheimer’s Disease Center of the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.379 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 100-100

Author(s):

Maria Pisu ◽

David Geldmacher

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

South Carolina ◽

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

Deep South ◽

Medicare Beneficiaries ◽

University Of Alabama ◽

The Us ◽

The University

Abstract Residents of the US Deep South (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina) have a 20–30% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia (ADRD). Moreover, >20% of African Americans, who are at higher ADRD risk than whites, live in this region. Therefore, one important goals of the Deep South Alzheimer’s Disease Center (DS-ADC) of the University of Alabama at Birmingham is to spearhead research to address these disparities. This panel presents current DS-ADC research, with two presentations focusing on the local patient population and the last two on the Deep South population compared to the rest of the nation. Addressing the challenge of recruiting representative samples in clinical research, the first paper is part of a research program to understand difference that may exist between African American and white research participants. The second paper examines patients with multiple conditions, in particular dementia and cancer, showing a marked disadvantage in cognition outcomes for African Americans. The next two papers take a broader perspective to better understand the population of older adults with ADRD in the Deep South and in the rest of the US. The third paper examines socioeconomic and medical contexts of African American and white older Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD, and the fourth paper examines differences in utilization of specialists, ADRD drugs, and hospitalizations in the two regions taking these contexts into account. The discussant will close the session by placing these studies in the larger context of the disparities research at the DS-ADC.

Download Full-text

Building research capacity and capabilities in Fiji: are we there yet?

Pacific Health Dialog ◽

10.26635/phd.2020.628 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 265-271

Author(s):

Jyotishna Mudaliar ◽

Bridget Kool ◽

Janice Natasha ◽

Judith McCool

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Research Capacity ◽

Research Knowledge ◽

Research Skills ◽

Research Findings ◽

Access And Quality ◽

The University ◽

Local Investigator ◽

Research Capacity Development

Introduction: A barrier to local investigator-led research in low income settings, is the limited availability of personnel with appropriate research skills or qualifications to conduct the type of research required for evidence-informed policy making to improve access and quality of health care. In response to this, Fiji National University’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences in Fiji, collaborated with academics based at the University of Auckland, New Zealand to deliver a series of research capacity development workshops in Fiji. Methods: Participants who attended any of the nine workshops (n=123) were contacted via email to take part in a brief survey regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the research capacity building workshops. Of the possible 123 participants, 80% (n=76) completed the questionnaire. Results: Findings demonstrate that the majority of participants reported that they had gained research skills from the workshops (75%) including proposal development skills (68%) and knowledge of appropriate research methods (59%). Furthermore, 70% agreed that the workshops built their research confidence. Since attending a workshop, 18% of respondents had successfully applied and received funding for research grants and/or fellowships. Barriers to conduct research included workload (75%), lack of research knowledge, experience or skills (51%), and lack of institutional support (41%). Suggestions for future workshops included: more focus on data analysis, regular courses rather than ‘one offs’, and preparation of research findings (e.g. publications). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that research workshops of this nature may increase individual research capabilities but sustained, locally led initiatives, backed by institutional and supplementary technical support are essential.

Download Full-text

Depression and Health-related Quality of Life for Low-income African-American Women in the U.S.

Quality of Life Research ◽

10.1007/s11136-005-6541-1 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 2293-2301 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Lori B. Frank ◽

Louis S. Matza ◽

Dennis A. Revicki ◽

Joyce Y. Chung

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Low Income ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

American Women ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

The U.S

Download Full-text

Differential DNA Methylation and Cardiometabolic Risk in African American Mother-Adolescent Dyads

Biological Research For Nursing ◽

10.1177/10998004211039017 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 109980042110390

Author(s):

Amanda Elswick Gentry ◽

Jo Robins ◽

Mat Makowski ◽

Wendy Kliewer

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Dna Methylation ◽

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

Waist Circumference ◽

Low Income ◽

Cardiometabolic Risk ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Background: Cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects African Americans as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Among African Americans, compared to other racial groups, cardiovascular disease onset occurs at an earlier age due to a higher prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors, particularly obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Emerging evidence suggests that heritable epigenetic processes are related to increased cardiovascular disease risk, but this is largely unexplored in adolescents or across generations. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive pilot study in low-income African American mother-adolescent dyads, we examined associations between DNA methylation and the cardiometabolic indicators of body mass index, waist circumference, and insulin resistance. Results: Four adjacent cytosine and guanine nucleotides (CpG) sites were significantly differentially methylated and associated with C-reactive protein (CRP), 62 with waist circumference, and none to insulin resistance in models for both mothers and adolescents. Conclusion: Further study of the relations among psychological and environmental stressors, indicators of cardiovascular disease, risk, and epigenetic factors will improve understanding of cardiovascular disease risk so that preventive measures can be instituted earlier and more effectively. To our knowledge this work is the first to examine DNA methylation and cardiometabolic risk outcomes in mother-adolescent dyads.

Download Full-text

Africultural Coping Systems Inventory: Psychometrics in a Clinical Sample of African American Women

Journal of Black Psychology ◽

10.1177/0095798420957503 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (6-7) ◽

pp. 457-481

Author(s):

Natalie N. Watson-Singleton ◽

Devon LoParo ◽

Yara Mekawi ◽

Joya N. Hampton-Anderson ◽

Nadine J. Kaslow

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

African American Women ◽

Low Income ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

General Factor ◽

American Women ◽

Structure Reliability ◽

Clinical Counseling

The Africultural Coping Systems Inventory (ACSI) assesses African Americans’ culturally relevant stress coping strategies. Although its factor structure, reliability, and validity of the scores have been examined across ethnic groups of African descent, psychometric properties have not been investigated in an African American clinical sample. Thus, it is unclear if the ACSI is useful for research with African Americans with distress. To assess the ACSI’s psychometrics, we used data from 193 low-income African American women who in the past year encountered interpersonal trauma and attempted suicide. We tested four models: one-factor, four-factor, four-factor hierarchical, and bifactor. None of the models were optimal, suggesting possible revisions to ACSI items. Yet the bifactor model provided a better fit than other models with items loading onto a general factor and onto specific factors. Internal consistency of the scores was above the recommended criterion (i.e., .70), and the ACSI general factor was related to depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation (but not alcohol abuse), providing some support for its concurrent validity. Future directions, limitations, and clinical-counseling implications are discussed.

Download Full-text

Health-Related Quality of Life in Low-Income Older African Americans

Journal of Community Health Nursing ◽

10.1080/07370010701645901 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 253-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Jie Hu

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

African Americans ◽

Low Income ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Older African Americans ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Download Full-text

The Shape of the Michigan River as Viewed from the Land of Sweatt v. Painter and Hopwood

Law & Social Inquiry ◽

10.1111/j.1747-4469.2000.tb00968.x ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 25 (02) ◽

pp. 507-519 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Thomas D. Russell

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

African American Students ◽

University Of Texas ◽

American Students ◽

Class Of 2000 ◽

The University

If general ideas and theories about what's going on in society are going to be anything other than moonshine, they have to be rooted in hard-bought knowledge of what in fact is happening in people's lives. —J. Willard Hurst (1910-96) There are 5 African Americans among the 433 students in The University of Texas School of Law's class of 2000. There are 7 in the class of 2001, and 7 in the class of 2002. With 1,387 students, the UT School of Law is big. The 19 African American students comprise 1.4% of the total.

Download Full-text

Intervention to Improve Quality of life for African-AmericaN lupus patients (IQAN): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a unique a la carte intervention approach to self-management of lupus in African Americans

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-016-1580-6 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Edith M. Williams ◽

Kate Lorig ◽

Saundra Glover ◽

Diane Kamen ◽

Sudie Back ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

Study Protocol ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Self Management ◽

Improve Quality ◽

Randomized Controlled

Download Full-text

Suicide Acceptability and Religious Well-Being: A Comparative Analysis in African American Suicide Attempters and Non-Attempters

Journal of Psychology and Theology ◽

10.1177/009164710503300207 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 140-150 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Deidre M. Anglin ◽

Kamieka O. S. Gabriel ◽

Nadine J. Kaslow

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

Low Income ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Report ◽

Culturally Competent ◽

Suicide Attempters ◽

Community Programming ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Mental Health Programs

This study was designed to examine the relationship between suicide acceptability and religious well-being, and to investigate the differences that may exist between African American suicide attempters and non-attempters on these two concepts. Two hundred low-income, African Americans were administered self-report questionnaires measuring suicide acceptability and religious well-being. Findings indicated that suicide acceptability was negatively related to religious well-being for both suicide attempters and non-attempters. There was also a significant difference between these two groups on suicide acceptability and religious well-being. Results were consistent with previous research that suggests that African Americans who attempt suicide endorse higher levels of suicide acceptability and lower levels of religious well-being than do their nonattempter counterparts. These findings have important implications for culturally-competent community programming and community mental health programs that serve low-income ethnic minority populations.

Download Full-text